Binasopharyngeal airway

ABSTRACT

An elastomeric nasopharyngeal airway comprising a tubular portion open at one end for receiving a gas supply device and two nasopharyngeal tube sections connected at the opposite end for insertion through the nose and nasopharynx. The tube sections each have diametrically opposed internal ridges which engage each other upon bending of the tube sections to prevent complete collapse which might otherwise obstruct or restrict passage of gas through the tube sections. Tip formations on the tube sections divert the gas streams to impinge on each other and thus reduce direct impingement of the gas streams on the surrounding portions of the patient&#39;&#39;s tissues.

United States Patent [191 Huddy 1' Feb. 25, 1975 PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Rick Opitz Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Fred N. Schwend [5 7] ABSTRACT An elastomericnasopharyngeal airway comprising a tubular portion open at one end forreceiving a gas supply device and two nasopharyngeal tube sectionsconnected at the opposite end for insertion through the nose andnasopharynx. The tube sections each have diametrically opposed internalridges which engage each other upon bending of the tube sections toprevent complete collapse which might otherwise obstruct or restrictpassage of gas through the tube sections. Tip formations on the tubesections divert the gas streams to impinge on each other and thus reducedirect impingement of the gas streams on the surrounding portions of thepatients tissues.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures BINASOPHARYNGEAL AIRWAY Background Of TheInvention This invention relates to means for introducing an anesthesiagas or the like by the use of a nasopharyngeal airway and has particularreference to a nasopharyngeal tube insertable through the nasopharynx.

Flexible nasopharyngeal tubes of the above type have been usedheretofore. However, those of which I am aware, comprise a single tubeor tubes insertable through the nose, the nasopharynx and into thetrachea. In cases where two tubes have been used, special manifold meansor separate gas supply means must be supplied for both tubes. Also,because of the curvature of the nasal passages and the fact that thetubes must be bent to connect the same to the gas supply devices indifferent manners, there exists the possibility of sharply bending orkinking the tubes and thus cutting off or severly restricting the flowof anesthesia gas therethrough.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to my present invention, a one piecenasopharyngeal airway is provided of relatively soft elastomericmaterial comprising a tubular portion open at one end to receive a gassupply device and connected at its opposite end to two divergentnasopharyngeal tube sections of equal length. The tube sections areformed with inwardly extending ridges which stiffen the tube sectionsagainst sharp bends and which also engage each other in the event thetube sections are sharply bent so as to maintain open communicationthrough such bent portions.

Further, the ends of the tube sections terminate in tips which deflectthe two gas streams into impingement with each other to dissipatethe-force of such streams so that they will not directly strike againstthe surrounding tissue of the pharynx which might otherwise causeirritation.

The above and other features of the invention will be more readilyunderstood on reference to the following specification when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sagital sectionof the head and upper neck showing especially the nasopharyngeal airwayembodying a preferred form of the present invention and showing the sameinserted through a patients nose and nasopharynx and permitting thedistal tips of the tube sections to lie in the pharynx.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the airway.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the nasopharyngealtube sections and is taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the tubesection in a condition which exists as a result of an excessive sharpbend.

FIG. 5 is an-enlarged sectional view of the tip of one of the tubesections.

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view of a modified form of the invention andis taken in the same direction as is FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a binasopharyngeal airway according to thepresent invention is illustrated generally at 11 and is formed of asingle piece of molded latex or other relatively soft elastomericmaterial. The

airway comprises a main tubular portion 12 having an internal diametersufficient to receive a standard endotracheal male connector of eitherthe straight type as indicated by the dot-dash lines ll4 or the 90 typeas shown by dot-dash lines 15, the latter being connected to a suitablegas supply through tubing 19. The tubular portion 12 communicates at itslower end with two spaced and parallel nasopharyngeal tube sections 16and 17 of equal length and of sufficient length to be passed into thepatients pharynx.

Each tube section terminates at: its lower end in a tip 18 (see alsoFIG. 5) for diverting the gas stream passing through the tube section atan angle to the length of such section. For this purpose, the tip 18 isformed with an inclined open end 20 and the portion of the tube sectionadjacent the apex of such inclined end is curved as shown at 21 todeflect the gas stream inwardly and generally in the other tip.Therefore, when gas is forced through the airway, the two divergent gasstreams passing through the tube sections 16 and 17 impinge on eachother and are the dispersed within the pharynx. The curved portion 21also results in a relatively blunt leading end to facilitate insertionof the tube sections through the nasal passages, etc.

As iswell known, in certain types of operations, it is desirable thatthe gas supply be located beyond the patients head, in which case it isdesirable to use a 90connector, i.e., 15, whereas in other types ofoperations it is desirable that the gas inlet be located adjacent thepatients body in which case a straight connector, i.e., 14, ispreferably used to reduce bending of the nasopharyngeal tube.Nevertheless, some amount of bending of the tube sections 16 and 17 willoccur and because of the soft, pliant nature of the tube sections thereis a possibility that they may be accidentally sharply bent which mightotherwise greatly restrict the passage of gas therethrough. In order toprevent complete collapse of the tube sections, I preform the latterwith diametrically opposed inwardly extending ridges 22 and 23,preferably extending along the length of the upper end portions of thetube sections 16 and 17. Such ridges 22 and 23 are located in a planepassing through the center of the respective tube sections, which planeextends at right angles to a plane passing through the centers of bothtube sections. Such ridges 22 and 23 not only stiffen the tube sectionsagainst bending but also, when such tube sections are bent sharply,engage each other as shown in FIG. 4 to prevent complete collapse,leaving diametrically opposite conduit sections 24 and 25 as shown inFIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MODIFIED EMBODIMENT FIG. 6 illustrates the modifiedform of the invention in which each tube section is formed with acircular outer circumference but is thickened at diametrically oppositepoints to form inwardly extending ridges 26 and 27 which perform thesame function as the ridges 22 and 23.

I claim:

1. A pharyngeal airway comprising a one-piece tubular member ofelastomeric material,

said member having a tubular portion open at one end to receive a gassupply device, and

a pair of spaced nasopharyngeal tube sections communicating with saidtubular portion at the opposite end of said tubular portion,

3 ,8 67 ,946 3 4 the ends of said tubular sections remote from said tuofsaid inclined ends curving inwardly toward each bular portion beinginclined oppositely to each other whereby to deflect the respective gasstreams other, and into impingement with each other. the passages ofsaid tube sections adjacent the apices *v

1. A pharyngeal airway comprising a one-piece tubular member ofelastomeric material, said member having a tubular portion open at oneend to receive a gas supply device, and a pair of spaced nasopharyngealtube sections communicating with said tubular portion at the oppositeend of said tubular portion, the ends of said tubular sections remotefrom said tubular portion being inclined oppositely to each other, andthe passages of said tube sections adjacent the apices of said inclinedends curving inwardly toward each other whereby to deflect therespective gas streams into impingement with each other.